This invention relates to a diesel engine and more particularly to an improved combustion chamber configuration for a diesel engine and a method of operating a diesel engine.
One popular form of diesel combustion chamber employes a subchamber that communicates with the main chamber through a restricted passageway and into which the fuel is injected to initiate combustion. As the fuel combusts in the subchamber, it expands and exits into the main chamber through this communicating passageway. The communicating passageway and the subchamber are configured in such a way so as to generate turbulence which is intended to insure complete combustion. Generally, the fuel is injected into the subchamber at a time when there is a high velocity of flow into the subchamber from the main chamber through the communicating passageway so that this turbulence will further aid in the combustion. Although this type of combustion chamber has considerable advantages, it has been found that it is difficult to insure that there is maximum air utilization. Heretofore, it has been generally the practice to rely upon the skill of the designer to select the desired relationship in order to obtain maximum air utilization.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved combustion air configuration for a diesel engine that will maximize air utilization.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a method of operating a diesel engine and an associated combustion chamber therefor that will maximize air utilization and performance.